Electric time-lock.



PATBNTED DEC. 12, 1905.

J. T. VAN DILLEN. ELECTRIC TIME LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17, 1904.

4 SHBETS-SHBET l.

INVENTOR- QJM AT-rY's.

gfima. BY W ATTEST No. 806,942. PATENTED DEO.12,1905. J. T. VAN DILLEN.

ELECTRIC TIME LOCK.

APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 17. 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTBD DEC. 12, 1905.

J. T. VAN DILLEN. ELECTRIC TIME LOCK.

I APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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No. 806,942. I PATENTED DEC. 12, 1905.

J. T. VAN DILLEN.

ELEGTRIG TIME LOOK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17, 1904.

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ATTEBT m BYWWWW INVENTOR.

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UNITED I STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

ELECTRIC TIME-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1905.

Application filed August 17,1904. Serial No. 221,155.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. VAN DILLEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Time-Locks, of which the following is a specification, containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in electric time locks; and it consists of the novel features herein shown, described, and

claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a horizontal section through the safe and time-lock, taken substantially on the lines 1 1 of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line 2 2 of Figs. 1 and 3. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the safe-door, with the clock mechanism removed, as seen lookingin the direction indicated by the arrows 3 in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of the rear side of the clock mechanism, upon an enlarged scale and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows 4 in Figs. 1 and 5. Fig. 5 is an edge view of the parts shown in Fig. 4 as seen looking in the direction indicated .by the arrow. Fig. 6 is a front elevation'of the clock mechanism as seen looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 6 in Figs. 1 and 5 with the casing removed. Fi 7 is a detail perspective of the brush mec anism, parts eing broken away to economize space. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the handle for making the electrical connection, unlocking the door, and removing the door, the electric circuit being shown in diagram.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the body 10 of the safe is spherical in form and is constructed of cast-steel cored to form the chamber 11 and to form the internal boss 12. The door-opening is bored through the boss 12 and has a continuous screw-thread 13. The door 14 has an exterior screw-thread 15 to fit the screw-thread 13, and the outer face of the door is a segment of a sphere, so that when the door is secured into position the spherical form of the safe is completed. A chamber 16 is formed from the rear side of the door to contain the time-lock mechanism. The locking-bolts 17 are mounted in the bearings 18, formed from the periphery of the door 14, and expansive coil-s rings 19 are mounted in the bearings 18 behind the bolts 17 to force the bolts outwardly into the seats 20 to form the body of the safe, so that when the bolts are in their normal positions the door 14 cannot be unscrewed. The in- "ner ends of the bearings 18 are reduced in size to form shoulders against which the inner ends of the springs 19 rest, and the inner ends of the bolts 17 are reduced in size to operate through the reduced portions of the bearings, said bolts extending into the chamber 16. Heads 21 are placed upon the inner ends of the bolts to form stops and engage the wall of the chamber and resist the tension of the spring 19. Ears 22 extend inwardly from the bolts 17 beyond the heads 21 into the chamber 16, there being openings 23 through said ears. An electromagnet 24 is mounted upon the frame 25, secured to the wall of the chamber 16, and the armature 26 is mounted upon a lever 27, pivoted to the frame 25, there being a stop-arm 28 behind the lever 27 to limit its outward motion. Arms 29 extend both ways from the armature-lever 27 and engage the inner ends of the bell-crank levers 30, the outer ends of said levers operating in the openings 23 of the ears 22, so that the tension of the springs 19. will hold the armature normally away from the magnet and against the stoparm 28, so that when the magnet is energized and the armature attracted the tension of the springs 19 will be overcome and the bolts 17 withdrawn, so that the door may be unscrewed and removed from the safe. the magnet-wire is attached to the door 14 by a screw 32. The other end 33 of the magnet-wire is attached to the contact-plate 34, said plate being insulated from the metal of the door. A second contact-plate 35 is insulated from the metal of the door and mount ed upon the opposite side of the magnet from the first contact-plate. A plug 36 is inserted through the door, said plug being insulated from the metal of the door by the sleeve 37, and said plug being headed down upon both ends, so that it cannot be removed. A wire 38 leads from the plug 36 to the contact-plate 35. Ledges 39 are inserted in the chamber 16 upon opposite sides of the magnet 24, and buttons 40 extend from the ledges. A disk 41 is provided large enough to cover the in'-' ner face of the door 14. A supporting-plate consisting of the central portion 42, the intermediate portions 43, extending backwardly from the ends of the central portion, and the end portions 44, extending outwardly from the inner ends of the intermediate portions and having buttonholes 45, is secured One end 31 of IIO to the face of the disk 41, there being a central opening 46 in said disk and the central portion 42 of the supporting-plate extending across this central opening. The buttons engage in the buttonholes 45 to hold the disk 41 in position. A buttonhole 47 is formed in the center of the central portion 42 of the supporting-plate. The central post 48 of the clock passes through this buttonhole 47, so as to connect the clock to the disk 41. Contact-plates 49 and 50 are mounted and insulated back of the supporting-plate in position to engage the contact-plates 34 and 35. A ring 51 is mounted upon insulation-plugs around the clock and connected to the contact-plate 49 by the Wire 52. A second ring 53 is mounted upon insulation-plugs around the clock, and a wire 53 connects this ring to the contact-plate 50. A brush 54 is mounted upon a plug of insulation carried by theouter face of the clock-shell and engages the ring 51, and a second brush 55 is insulated in position to engage the ring 53. Spring-arms 56 and 57 extend from the brushes 54 and 55, there being a plate 58 extendin laterally from the arm 56 over the end of t e arm 57, said plate 58 being normally out of contact with the arm 57. A lever 59 is pivotally mounted in position to engage the plate 58 at one end, and the other end of the lever is connected to the alarm mechanism of the clock by the connecting-rod 60, so that when the time comes for the alarm to go ofi the lever 59 is operated to press the plate 58 against the arm 57 and close the circuit.

The clock mechanism shown is of that type which is wound by rotating the casing of the clock, and the rings 51 and 53 provide means of keeping up the electrical connection while the casing of the clock is rotating, the brushes 54 and 55 being carried by the clock as it rotates and the rings 51 and 53 being stationary. A handle 61 has nipples 62 and 63, adapted to be inserted into the openings 64 in the door and 65 in the plug 36 for screwing the door in and out. An electric terminal 66 is mounted in the nipple 62 and insulated therefrom, and a second terminal 67 is mounted in the nipple 63. A Wire 68 leads from the battery 69 to the terminal 67, and a second wire 70 leads from the battery to the terminal 66, so that when the handle is inserted into position the circuit is completed, and if the clock mechanism has operated the plate 58 into contact with the arm 57 the electromagnet will be energized to withdraw the bolts 17, so that thedoor may be removed from the safe.

One of the principal uses for which this safe is intended is that of a strong box to be used in transporting valuables from one lace to another. When the door is inserte the safe becomes merely an iron ball to be rolled around and easily transported.

In order to keep the contents of the safe from injuring the clock mechanism, a casing 71 is placed over the clock.

It is obvious'that the door cannot be removed from the safe except by completing the circuit and energizing the electromagnet and that this can only be done at the time the circuit is closed bet'w. en the arms 56 and 57.

I claim 1. In an electric time-lock: the spherical body 10 constructed of cast-steel and cored to form the chamber 11 and the internal boss 12; there being a door-opening through the boss 12; a continuous screw-thread 13 in said door-opening; the door 14 having an exterior screw-thread to fit in the screw-thread 13; the outer face of the door being a segment of a sphere to match the spherical form of the body; an electric time-lock mechanism controlling the operation of the door; and means of operating the electric time-lock mechanism from the outside; said means comprising an insulated plug; an electric connection between the body of the safe and the electric time-lock mechanism; an electric connection between the plug and the electric time mechanism; a. handle having nipples one to engage the body of the door, and one to engage the plug; said nipples being insulated from each other; and a battery con- Eected to said nipples; substantially as speci- 2. In an electric time-lock: the combination with a suitable safe body and a door adapted to be screw-seated in the body; there being a chamber in the rear face of the door; of locking-bolts mounted in bearings formed from the periphery of the door and adapted to pass into seats in the body of the safe; expansive coil springs mounted in the bearings behind the bolts to move the bolts into the seats an electromagnet mounted in the chamber of the door; an armature mounted upon a lever pivoted to the frame in position to be operated by the electromagnet; said armature being connected to the locking-bolts, so that when the armature is energized, the bolts will be withdrawn from their locked posi tions; and means for ener izing the electromagnet from the outside of the safe; an insulated plug through the wall of the safe; the electromagnet being connected to the plug and to the body of the safe; a handle having.

nipples to engage the body of the door and the plug; said nipples being insulated from each other; and a battery connected to said nipples; substantially as specified.

3. In an electric time-lock: the combination with a safe, and a door adapted to be seated in the safe; of locking-bolts slidingly mounted in the door iii position to engage in seats in the body of the safe; an electromagnet; an armature for the electromagnet connected to the locking-bolts, so that when the magnet is energized, the bolts are withdrawn;

4. In an electric time-lock: the combina-,

tion with a safe-body, and a door adapted to be seated in the safe-body, of locking-bolts slidingly mounted in the door to engage in seats in the body; electromagnet mechanism for operating the locking-bolts; said electromagnet mechanism being mounted ina chamber in the rear face of the door; a disk for covering the chamber; a clock mounted upon the disk; rings mounted upon insulation-plugs around the clock; a brush mounted upon insulation carried by the clock-shell in position to engage one of the rings; a second brush mounted upon insulation carried by the clock-shell in position to engage the other ring spring-arms extending from the brushes a plate extending from one of the springarms over the other spring-arm; and means for pressing said plate downwardly upon the spring-arm to close the circuit; said means being controlled by the clock mechanism; substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN T. VAN DILLEN. 

